While art is subjective, your hate for Stephen Vincent Strange was pure and simple. An arrogant, crude and tasteless man. One of close-minded thinking and a lack of creativity.
This was the type of person any artist like you would despise.
~~~
All...
Tony stood, less than elegantly, above them all on the bar counter top. Crowds either surrounded to be close or viewed from their seats around the party floor. Eyes attentive and ears ready to catch onto every syllable... the same couldn't be said for Strange.
His mind wandered off, not remembering the last time he was surrounded by this many people. A while ago was the last time but that was more so SHIELD agents and the team.
Rich elites of NYC? That would have to have been before the-
His lips purse, glass brought to them as liquor relaxed the muscles in his tense neck. It was obvious he could care about anything but Tony's yapping voice, so he tuned in on a painting hung above Stark.
It was of a woman sat at a bar. Her finger on the rim of the glass as she faced the mirror backdrop. While her elegance was shown in what could only be described as reality, her reflection oozed a sinister aura. Gorgeously painted, yet he was snapped out of it all when clapping was heard.
"And finally, the Maximoff twins! Pietro and Wanda," he gestures to them both beside Peter who wore a suit and tie over his Spider-Man suit. The final few claps died down and easily Stark gained attention back to him. "Very proud of these guys," he adjusts his glasses before jumping down and patting Thor.
The moment it was over, Stephen looks back to the painting only to see the woman facing to watch the party. "What the hell?"
"Yeah, she's freaky," Sam raises a glass to the painting who winks his way. "Creepier at night," he whispers.
"Is it... haunted?"
"Nah," Bucky walks up to him as well, pointing to other paintings which moved ever so slightly. "That one is my favourite," he points to a painting of a peaceful meadow full of broken statues and a single apple in the middle.
"An apple?" Strange tilts his head.
"Guessing you're not an art person," Bucky looks around the party, "no worries, the person who painted this was meant to be here,"
"Yeah right, last thing I heard it was going to be another month," Wanda joins the conversation, air quoting the excuse. "I love this one so much," she lifts a finger to a frame showing what looked to be a living room. "There's a twin, it's in my room," her eyes gloss over a little, "my childhood home... it's so precise,"
"Took me a while to get that memory exact," you take a step forward, one by one until you stood at the bottom of the grand staircase. Drink in hand, you gave a soft smirk to the agape team, "miss me?" With fabric draping down along you, extravagance and simplicity met perfection in your outfit.
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(Feel free to change it)
You held a dark look, letting it roam over the few who chose to stare you down. Their suddenly frightened faces from your death glare made a soft laugh erupt.
"Welcome back, Magritte," Tony walks up, giving you a side hug.
"Tony, is that the only surrealist artist you know?" Steve replaces your empty glass with a new drink. "Welcome back,"
"Thank you, Captain artsy, good to be back," you then look to Wanda who was waiting for her turn to greet you. "Alright, Maximoff, bring it in," your arms hardly had time to fully open as she pulls you close. "Must suck not being favoured," sticking your tongue out, the team simply rolls their eyes.
"Y/n??" Peter's suit eyes widen, the hero swinging over to tackle you down. Wanda providing no help, instead, moving out of the way to let Peter do this. "You're back? You're back! Oh my god, you're back?!"
"Kid, will you-" half the air was knocked out of your lungs as he gave you another bone-crushing hug. "Shit, kid, missed you too,"
"I have so much to tell you!" he attempts to start off on a tangent while you laugh in pure awe at his reaction. Of course, within seconds, eyes on Stephen turned your features sour, a glare landing on him. "Which I will do later!" Peter pulls back, spidey senses going off.
"Mr Strange,"
"L/n," his eyes narrow.
"Anyone sensing they know each other?" Tony whispers to the team who take a step back.
"Unfortunately," he sneers.
"Regrettably," you add.
"Lovely," Nat takes a sip of her martini and walks away. Eventually every member of the team disperses to whatever other group they could slip to.
"What are you doing here?" He almost interrogates, tone harsh.
"Surprising my team, what are you doing here?" your question lingers as the air as his face tenses to one of shock.
"I was invited..." it was obvious you hadn't any idea as to his situation now. "So, team... What are your powers then? Making little puppy dogs dance on canvas?"
Your blood had already began to boil from his mocking tone, his words furthering your irritation. "Test me enough and you'll find out," shoving by, you make your way to Sam and Steve. "If anyone asks how I know him I will shove a paint brush so far up your asses you'll be vomiting up acrylic paint for weeks,"
"Yes, ma'am," the two salute with slightly terrified looks.
~~~
Stephen kept up conversation with Bruce and somehow Tony as well, all three discussing different revelations in the medical field. However while Tony took the lead in the conversation, Stephen focused back on the paintings who were whispering and pointing at him. A few were malicious looking, gossiping about god knows what while others gave flirtatious winks.
The party had slowly decreased to a few people; the team and a few agents. All interacting with one another but you had gradually moved on to talking with the paintings, as had Wanda.
"So, they move and talk?" Stephen speaks up once the topic has reached a dead end.
"Sometimes it's creepy but most of the time they're a lot of help," Bruce waves to the woman above the bar.
"How long has L/n been on the team for?" He further inquires.
"A while now, but the past two years or so Y/n was sent to Versailles to restore some works," the billionaire was more interested in the curious nature of the sorcerer.
"How often at the tower-"
"Why do you care, Strange?" Tony cuts him off.
"Just need to know how often to avoid the tower," he finishes his drink before grabbing the suit jacket he had lay over a bar stool, "thank you for the invite,"
"No... thank you," Tony grins at a devious plan brewing.
~~~
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I forgot how much of a rush I get from posting chapters and reading your comments lol
